Harvester Crop Material Distributor for Even Sieve Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural combines face challenges in evenly distributing threshed crops to the cleaning system due to uneven terrain, leading to fluctuations in delivery rates and increased grain loss from overloading regions of the cleaning system sieve.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a crop material distributor and a sensor-controlled sieve that adjusts operating parameters based on the quantity of grain and inclination angle to ensure even distribution of crop material, using sensors and a controller to manage the flow of crop material onto the cleaning sieve, thereby mitigating grain loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the combine travels on uneven terrain (uphill or downhill), then the delivery rate of threshed crop material fluctuates, but this causes uneven distribution to the cleaning system and increased grain loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the crop material distributor adjustable in its inclination angle. The distributor can be tilted forward or backward relative to the combine's longitudinal axis, allowing it to adapt to uphill and downhill terrain conditions. This dynamic adjustment ensures that crop material is evenly distributed onto the cleaning sieve regardless of the combine's travel slope, preventing overloading and grain loss while maintaining adaptability to varying terrain.
2Productivity
If the delivery rate of threshed crop material is increased to maintain productivity, then productivity is improved, but this causes overloading of the cleaning system sieve and increased grain loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the inclination angle of the crop material distributor. By changing this geometric parameter, the system can accommodate variations in delivery rate while maintaining even distribution across the cleaning sieve. When delivery rate increases, the distributor angle can be adjusted to prevent material concentration in specific regions, thereby avoiding sieve overloading and grain loss while preserving high productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning system sieve is tilted to accommodate uneven terrain, then adaptability to terrain is improved, but this causes uneven distribution of crop material and increased grain loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing an adjustable crop material distributor that can be tilted independently to compensate for terrain variations. Rather than tilting the entire cleaning system sieve (which would cause distribution problems), the distributor's inclination angle is dynamically adjusted to maintain proper material flow and even distribution onto the sieve, achieving both terrain accommodation and distribution precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making only the crop material distributor adjustable in inclination, while the cleaning system sieve maintains its fixed optimal orientation for separation. This localized adjustment ensures that the distributor can adapt to terrain conditions and ensure even material distribution, while the sieve retains its precise configuration for effective cleaning, achieving both adaptability and manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for distributing crop material onto a cleaning sieve of an agricultural combine. The method includes providing a sensor in connection with a controller, the sensor senses information representative of grain associated with a crop material distributor and an inclination angle associated with the crop material distributor, and outputs signals representative of grain associated with a crop material distributor and an inclination angle associated with the crop material distributor to the controller. The method provides the crop material distributor for distributing crop material from a threshing system onto a sieve. The controller determines information representative of grain associated with a crop material distributor and an inclination angle associated with at least one of the crop material distributor and the combine. The method includes outputting signals for operable control of operating parameters associated with the crop material distributor and the sieve.